After a 17-year absence, international cricket is set to make a much-anticipated return to Faisalabad as Pakistan prepares to take on South Africa in a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series, with the first encounter scheduled for Tuesday, 4 November, at the Iqbal Stadium.
According to PCB information today, the subsequent games of the series are slated for 6 and 8 November, with all contests hosted at the same historic ground. For each match, the coin toss is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local time, followed by the first delivery at 3:00 p.m.
The Iqbal Stadium last hosted an international fixture on 11 April 2008, a match where Pakistan secured a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh. The celebrated venue has been the stage for 16 ODIs in its history, including four World Cup matches-one in 1987 and three during the 1996 tournament.
The host nation has a strong record at this location, having triumphed in nine of their 12 ODI appearances while suffering three defeats. In contrast, South Africa has played five ODIs at the stadium, winning two and losing three.
In their 87 total ODI meetings, South Africa holds the advantage with 52 wins to Pakistan”s 34. However, the record is perfectly balanced for matches played in Pakistan, with both nations claiming eight victories from 16 contests. Specifically in Faisalabad, the two sides have clashed three times, with Pakistan winning twice (1994, 2007) and the visitors securing one win (2003).
This 50-over series follows a closely fought tour, which saw the two-match Test series end in a 1-1 stalemate and Pakistan clinch the T20I series with a 2-1 margin.
Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi is set to make his debut as Pakistan”s ODI captain. Within the current squad, Babar Azam is a key figure with the bat, having amassed 744 runs in 15 matches, while captain Afridi leads the bowling attack with 25 wickets from 13 appearances.
Speaking to the media following a training session, Afridi expressed his enthusiasm for the event. “It is exciting to see international cricket return to Faisalabad after 17 years,” he stated. “We are looking forward to performing well against South Africa. The team played good cricket in the T20I series and we aim to carry that momentum into the ODIs.’
Pakistan ODI squad:
Shahen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Schedule:
4 November – First ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
6 November – Second ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
8 November – Third ODI at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad